12 Days of Shipping
by Solora Goldsun
Summary: A series of mini, holiday-themed oneshots to be published each day leading up to Christmas. Each chapter is a different ship.
1. Brer (FoxVelvet)

**So, as a way to challenge myself a bit, I have decided to write a series of twelve mini-oneshots, one on each day leading up to Christmas. Each one will have a different ship. I hope you enjoy! The first will be Fox/Velvet. I have no idea what their ship name is…**

Velvet closed her eyes as her wet, near-frozen ears began to thaw under Fox's gentle hands. A low hum vibrated in her throat as the fur was smoothed out and the tips were warmed by lingering palms. "That feels nice, Fox," she sighed.

"You shouldn't have gone out with your ears uncovered!" Fox scolded, his sharp voice contrasting with his tender touch. "You could get an infection, or frostbite." He could feel the chill beneath her soaked fur. _A few more minutes outside…_ He decided not to complete that thought.

"My hood ripped during our last mission, remember?"

"So, put socks on your ears, or something," Fox shot back.

"I'd rather freeze than face the ridicule _that_ would have brought." Velvet's voice was bitter as she spoke. She blinked as she realized her tone. "I'm sorry, Fox. I didn't mean to snap." She turned her head slightly to look at her teammate. His sightless eyes were pointed toward the wall past her face, and his sensitive hands had paused in the act of rubbing her ears. Her face flushed a little at how close they were, and she was thankful that his hands weren't near her cheeks.

Fox breathed a sigh. Of course Velvet didn't want to give people something else to laugh at. He had heard enough stories about people using socks to make fun of her while she was in primary school. "Don't apologize. I know it's frustrating," he said, feeling the space next to him until he found the washcloth he had grabbed for this purpose. "I just don't want you hurt." He began carefully running the cloth across her left ear, squeezing a little to get more of the water out.

Velvet didn't even wince at the slight pressure. She had long since stopped being nervous whenever Fox touched her ears. No matter what, he never hurt her. That alone was a miracle, considering how sensitive her rabbit ears were. They had often ached after a careful brushing from her mother when she was young. Fox's touch, however, was so light and soothing, she found herself craving it at times.

"I really do appreciate this," she murmured, suppressing a happy noise as Fox ran a cloth-covered hand across her right ear. "You really don't have to."

"I know. I want to, though," Fox said before blushing, realizing that he might have said too much. Truthfully, he was fully aware that he didn't have to do this. It didn't stop him, however. It hadn't stopped him the last time Velvet had chilled her ears, either. Or the time she had gotten cold fingers while training outside, due to her gloves getting wet.

Or any other time that gave him an excuse to touch her, honestly.

Velvet noticed the flush that spread across Fox's face and felt her own cheeks darkening further. She cautiously leaned into his side as he continued rubbing, smiling when he shifted to make both of them more comfortable.

Once the rabbit Faunus's ears were sufficiently dry, Fox placed the washcloth to the side and stood up, pausing to allow Velvet to sit up. "Maybe this will help. I was going to wait till closer to Winter Break, but you probably need it now."

He walked over to his closet and felt around until he found a smooth gift bag with a bow on the handles. Returning to the bed, he placed the bag in front of Velvet. "Happy early holidays, Velvet."

Velvet stared at the bag before looking at Fox. "Thank you," she whispered. "I don't have your gift yet, though."

Fox shrugged. "That's fine. Just open it." He smiled at the sound of rustling tissue paper. "Coco helped me pick out the fabric and Mom did the sewing."

Velvet let out a gasp as she withdrew a handmade hooded jacket. It was chocolate-brown and lined with dark gold-colored faux fur on the inside. "Oh, it's beautiful," she breathed, running her hand over the soft inner lining.

"Check the hood," Fox urged. "There are pockets inside for your ears, so they can stay warm without slipping out."

A quick inspection of the hood revealed the pockets, which felt easily big enough for her large ears. Placing the jacket on the bed, she stood up and hugged Fox tightly. "I love it! Thank you, Fox. And thank your mom for me, too."

Fox readily returned the hug, smiling at the scent of her flowery shampoo and the warmth of her slender arms. "Glad you like it."

The warmth surrounding her, combined with the lingering tingle on her ears, was starting to make Velvet feel a little giddy. Smiling softly she drew back a little while still keeping her arms around Fox. "It'll be a few weeks before I can get to the store, but until then…" she touched a warm kiss to her teammate's cheek. "Happy holidays, Fox!"

A nervous flutter entered her chest when she saw the dumbstruck look on Fox's face. Her ears drooped a little and her face flushed. _I can't believe I just did that!_

Fox, thankfully, recovered quickly. Unable to suppress a smile, he leaned in to peck Velvet's cheek in return. When he found himself kissing her lips instead, he knew that it was only partially accidental.

 **I'm not sure what the next ship will be. We'll just have to see tomorrow. Happy holidays, everyone! Stay warm and peace out.**


	2. White Rose (RubyWeiss)

**And, here's Day 2. After this week's episode, I think we all need some fluff in our lives. So, here's some established White Rose cuteness. Enjoy!**

Weiss eyed the cookbook in front of her before turning to look at her girlfriend. "Okay, clean out the bowl so we can start on the ginger- RUBY!"

Ruby paused, a batter-covered spatula inches from her open mouth. Under Weiss's withering glare, she slowly put it back into the bowl and pouted. "I didn't want it to go to waste," she murmured sulkily.

"You've eaten enough batter to make a full meal already, you dunce," Weiss scolded. "Honestly, you're going to be sick to your stomach tomorrow morning and I won't be the least bit sympathetic."

Sighing mournfully, Ruby put the bowl in the sink, making sure to make her eyes especially wide and sad. "Okaaaaay…"

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Don't try giving me the puppy face. It won't work. Just be patient. They'll be done in a little while."

Ruby started washing the bowl and spatula, sniffing the air as the chocolate chip cookies started baking. "Can we make sugar cookies after we're done with the gingerbread?"

"If there's time," Weiss said with a slight smile. "Though we're already going to have two dozen chocolate chip cookies and two dozen gingerbread. Don't you think that's enough?"

"Pfft! _No._ " Ruby shook her head pityingly at her partner. "Is that even a question?"

A little over an hour later, they were decorating the gingerbread cookies. Weiss carefully squeezed a blue outline onto one shaped like a star. "I'm almost finished with the stars. How are the men coming?"

"Guth!" Ruby replied cheerfully through a mouthful of frosting.

This time, Weiss didn't even bother looking at her. "If you don't frost them all, your share will consist of the unfrosted ones."

"Mmhmm," was Ruby's unconcerned response. The gingerbread cookies tasted good with or without frosting, after all.

Weiss breathed a long sigh before walking over to the fridge and pouring a glass of milk. She set it down near Ruby. "At least drink something healthy to wash down all that sugar. I swear, if you start bouncing off the walls later…"

A tug on her sleeve caused her to turn her head, only for her lips to be immediately consumed by Ruby's. She let out an undignified squeak of surprise as the smaller girl's arms wrapped warmly around her shoulders. As always, she found herself melting into the kiss, moving her lips gently against Ruby's eager ones.

Weiss felt sugar from the frosting against her lips and slid her tongue out instinctively to lick it away, only to also run across Ruby's lips in the process. Her cheeks heated up, but before she could back away and stammer an explanation, she felt her girlfriend's tongue shyly brushing hers. She blinked in surprise before wrapping her arms around Ruby's middle and parting her lips to deepen the kiss. Their tongues touched and explored each other's mouths curiously for a few seconds before they both drew back, panting a little.

Ruby blinked up at Weiss, her silver eyes slightly hazy, before a dazzling grin spread across her face. "I love you, Weiss!" She nuzzled her cheek against Weiss's neck.

A warm fluttering sensation in Weiss's chest caused her face to flush further. She touched a quick kiss to the top of Ruby's head as she hugged her a little tighter. "I love you too."

The timer for the sugar cookies beeped, reminding both girls where they were. Weiss immediately jumped back, suddenly feeling very flustered.

"W-We shouldn't be d-doing this in the kitchen! Wh-What if someone had walked in?"

Ruby giggled softly. Weiss was always so cute when she was like this. "It would've totally been worth it!"

This earned her a light flick on the forehead. "J-Just keep icing the cookies while I take the last batch out, you dolt."

Another hour later, the members of Team RWBY were in the dorm enjoying plate after plate of cookies. Well, three of them were.

Ruby was lying on her side near Weiss, groaning quietly. Her stomach ached and she felt incredibly tired.

"This happens every time," Yang said, shaking her head. "She eats all the batter and frosting, then gets sick when scarfing the actual cookies."

Deciding to skip the "I told you so" speech for once, Weiss finished her sugar cookie before gently pulling Ruby onto her lap. She positioned her girlfriend so that her head was resting in the crook of her neck. She then started to softly stroke Ruby's hair, humming quietly.

A kitten-like yawn escaped Ruby's mouth as she snuggled closer, smiling despite how sick she felt. Weiss's voice, warmth, and soothing hand were rapidly lulling her closer and closer to sleep.

Blake walked over without a word and took Weiss's plate, placing it on a nearby table before freeing the blanket on the bed and draping it over them both.

Weiss smiled gratefully at Blake as she rested her head on her pillow, letting Ruby stretch out on top of her. She closed her eyes and fell asleep to the smell of cookies and the sound of her girlfriend's steady breaths.

 **I just had to have them baking cookies. I can definitely see Ruby scarfing all the batter and frosting and getting sick later. Here's a quick note about these fics: They take place in a world where Volume 3 episode 6 doesn't exist and all of my babies are still happy. See you tomorrow. Peace out!**


	3. Monochrome (WeissBlake)

**Here's my first attempt at writing Monochrome. Yay! This story isn't as holiday-themed as the first two, but it does take place during the holidays. Hope you enjoy either way.**

The dorms were blissfully quiet. Only a handful of students chose to stay at Beacon over the winter break, making conditions ideal for Blake. She could go outside and walk around the grounds without encountering anyone else and could read her books late into the night without worrying about idiotic people running down the hallways outside. She even felt safe taking off her bow when in the dorm room.

Despite the relative solitude, however, she wasn't spending the holidays alone. Weiss had also elected to remain at Beacon. As her sister would be away on an assignment, she had seen no point in dealing with her father's nonsense alone for multiple weeks.

The two spent most of their time in comfortable silence, with Blake reading and Weiss either studying or browsing through some of her favorite store's websites using her scroll. At night, they would usually sit on Weiss's bed, rent one of the small televisions available to students, and put on some classic black and white movie, glad of the chance to watch something other than the action/adventure flicks loved by Ruby and Yang.

They usually fell asleep after reaching their own beds, but one particular night involved a three-hour film that wasn't even over by the time the girls conked out.

Weiss found herself waking up after only a few hours. She blinked slowly, wondering what had woken her. Then, she felt thrashing next to her and turned to see Blake curled up on top of the blankets, gripping them tightly while whimpering.

Immediately, Weiss started shaking her shoulder. "Blake? Blake? Wake up!"

Blake let out a yelp as she jerked awake, her wide amber eyes reflecting what little light was coming from the television and window. She stared around for a moment before her gaze settled on Weiss. Letting out a breath, she felt her shoulders relaxing as she realized where she was. "Sorry, Weiss," she muttered, her ears flattening.

There was a light sheen of sweat on Blake's face. Weiss took a clean handkerchief out of her pocket and started wiping gently. "Don't apologize. We all have nightmares sometimes." She thought of her recurring dream of the giant knight and the even more common dream of her father beating her after receiving particularly-bad news concerning the White Fang.

She tossed the cloth toward her dirty clothes pile once Blake's face was clean. "Want to talk about it?"

Blake hesitated. The dream had been about the White Fang, and she knew how Weiss felt about anything mentioning them. However, the concern in her teammate's mist-blue eyes and the coolness of the hand that came forward to grasp her own caused her to nod. "I…I told you about Tukson, right?"

Weiss felt her eyes narrow as she nodded. She remembered the day Blake had come home, a vacant look in her eyes as she told them of the puma Faunus's death. "Your friend at the book shop. You said he was probably killed by the White Fang." She gave Blake's hand a light squeeze to show her sympathy.

Blake nodded, gratefully returning the grip. "Well, there's been news of other Faunus getting killed the same way. All of them are ex-White Fang members." She took a shuddering breath. "More and more, I've been dreaming of them…coming for me next. And killing all of you just to clean up any loose ends."

"That's…horrible." Weiss's brows furrowed. She often forgot about the struggles of Faunus not affiliated with the White Fang. While she liked Blake (liked her a great deal, admittedly) and tolerated Sun's antics, she knew that there was a long road between her and total acceptance and understanding of the Faunus. She was determined to bridge that gap, however.

"Would it help if I scratched your ears?" she asked. At Blake's surprised look, she hurriedly explained. "I read that some Faunus like having their ears scratched by people close to them. They find it soothing in some cases. I thought I should ask first, though." Her cheeks flushed as she hoped desperately that her teammate wasn't offended.

Blake felt a blush rising to her face and her ears twitched. No one had scratched them since Adam, and that had been a lifetime ago. They had gone untouched for a few years by everything but her bow. She wasn't entirely sure of how she'd react to them being touched now, but she found herself nodding her head anyway.

She initially tensed at the feeling of Weiss's cool hand brushing her exposed ears, but the first scratch at the base of her left one caused her to practically melt against the heiress. She slumped against Weiss's side, closing her eyes contentedly as a warm tingle spread from her head to the rest of her body.

Weiss blinked in surprise at Blake's response and started to lightly rub the fur on her left ear. She both felt and heard the purr that rose in her teammate's chest. She was grateful that Blake wasn't looking at her face, as it was likely as red as Ruby's cape at that moment.

"You don't need to be scared, Blake," she whispered as she continued to caress her friend's soft fur. "The White Fang won't find you. Even if they do, we can fight them. We've done it before. You're not alone in this." After a moment, she moved up her other hand so that she could rub both ears at the same time. The purr increased in volume, causing Weiss's cheeks to heat up further.

Blake snuggled unabashedly against Weiss, nuzzling her neck and purring happily. She would probably feel really embarrassed about this once the ear petting ended, but it just felt so _good_ , especially after having gone without it for so long.

Weiss bit her lip to keep from giggling at how adorable Blake was acting. She would definitely have to find some excuse to do this again in the future. Movement from the window caught her eye, and she turned to look while still dutifully petting her friend's ears. Her smile widened at what she saw. "Blake, it's snowing."

Reluctantly, Blake dislodged herself from Weiss so she could turn to look at the window. It was true. White flakes were fluttering past the windowpanes and she could see a shimmering layer already gathering on the roof. "We should walk around in the morning," she remarked. "Around the school, there won't be a lot of people to spoil it with footprints."

Weiss nodded. "That sounds wonderful."

Blake continued to watch the snow, but found herself leaning back against Weiss. She sighed contentedly as the heiress wrapped her arms around her middle. "Weiss?"

"Yes?"

"I'm really glad you decided to stay." Blake blushed a little as she said this, her ears flickering shyly.

A warm, fluttering feeling filled Weiss's chest. Leaning close, she touched a quick kiss to the tip of Blake's right ear. She smiled at the surprised chirping sound the Faunus made. "Me too, Blake. Me too."

 **Yeah, I can't write a romance-themed fic with Blake that doesn't involve her purring. It's just too freaking adorable! Purring kitty Blake is life! Peace out.**


	4. Red Sea (ScarletNeptune)

**We need more screentime for Scarlet (Gay Pirate, as my friend likes to call him). This ship works in my head because I see Scarlet as being gay and Neptune as being bi. It's also been established that the two are close. Ships have been built on shakier foundations than that! Enjoy.**

Scarlet and Neptune were breathless with laughter as they entered their dorm room. Their clothes were thoroughly soaked and cold from a recent snowball fight with Sun and Sage. The latter two had decided to join some people who were going to a nearby pond to ice skate. Due to Neptune's absolute conviction that the ice would break and he would drown in the freezing water if he so much as stepped on the pond, he and his boyfriend had elected to go back inside.

Neptune was quick to toss his coat onto his dirty clothes pile and start peeling the rest of his wet clothing off. The more modest Scarlet grabbed dry clothes and went into the bathroom to change, blushing a little as he caught a glimpse of Neptune without his shirt before he closed the door.

Deciding to go casual for the afternoon, Neptune put on some navy blue sweat pants and a long-sleeved black shirt. He placed his wet goggles on the table by his bed. "Yo, Scarlet! I'm gonna get some cocoa from the kitchen. Want any?"

"Yes, please," was the immediate reply. "And could you put some vanilla in it if there's any in the cupboard?"

Neptune was already taking a small bottle of vanilla extract from the drawer on his desk and slipping it into his pocket. "Sure thing." He took their mugs from on top of one of the dressers, nudging Sun and Sage's to the side, before walking out the door and toward the kitchen.

The milk and cocoa powder were in their usual places. There was no vanilla extract in the cupboards. There never was. Scarlet didn't know this, but Neptune had started secretly buying bottles of vanilla once winter began after he found out about his boyfriend's preference for it.

After the cocoa was finished, he added a few drops of vanilla to Scarlet's mug before returning to the dorm room. Scarlet, in keeping with his ongoing sense of style, had put on a maroon sweater that exposed his left shoulder, a pair of black jeans, and a black scarf that would probably be useless in the cold weather outside. He was in the process of blow drying his damp hair.

"They had vanilla," Neptune said as he put the mugs down on Scarlet's desk. "You know, you don't need to blow dry. Your hair will be dry in like five minutes."

Scarlet rolled his eyes. "Five minutes of having a wet mop in my face? No thank you." He ran a comb through his hair as he finished before patting a spot on the bed next to him. "Come on. Might as well do yours while it's plugged in. No sense in you catching a cold."

Neptune opened his mouth to say that he could just rub it down with a towel. Before the words came out, however, a thought occurred to him: Sun and Sage would likely be out for at least another hour. That meant there would be no one to tease him about having his hair blow dried and combed by his more stylish boyfriend. And the thought of Scarlet methodically stroking his hair was definitely appealing.

"If it'll make you feel better," he muttered, sitting down with his back to Scarlet. He heard the smaller boy let out a gentle laugh and felt a ghost of a kiss on the back off his neck. He shivered at the sensation before letting out a sigh as warm air from the dryer caressed his neck and head. As the air ruffled his hair pleasantly, a comb ran gently through, stroking his scalp and speeding up the drying process. He closed his eyes as the treatment continued. All too soon, his short hair was dry and Scarlet was turning off the blow dryer. He yawned as his boyfriend's slender, muscular arms wrapped around his middle.

"Don't fall asleep yet, Nep," Scarlet murmured, kissing the side of his neck. "Your cocoa will get cold." He smiled at the sleepy look of contentment on Neptune's face. "Come on, love. Sit up so I can get your mug."

Neptune sat up and accepted his cocoa from Scarlet. The two boys were silent for a few minutes, except for some quiet slurping. Neptune finished his first and placed the mug on the desk before snuggling into Scarlet's side. He happily rubbed his cheek against the soft material of the maroon sweater.

Scarlet chuckled softly to himself. Neptune always got super clingy and cuddly when he was tired. It was rather adorable. His spine stiffened when he felt his boyfriend move upwards. Warm lips brushed his left shoulder before slowly moving toward his neck.

"I like this sweater," Neptune murmured in a slightly-groggy voice, grinning tiredly at his red-haired teammate. "But why is that annoying scarf in the way?" He tugged weakly at the black scarf, pulling it loose before nuzzling a few more kisses into the crook of Scarlet's neck.

"Hmmm…" Scarlet placed his mug on the desk before wrapping his arms around Neptune, brushing his lips against his forehead while Neptune's started to lavish attention on his throat.

After a few minutes, Scarlet elected to lie down, pulling a willing Neptune down to lie on his side next to him. Leaning close, he began to tenderly kiss his boyfriend's lips. Both of their mouths were warm and sweet from the cocoa, and neither could get enough of the taste. When they pulled back, Scarlet noted a mischievous glimmer in Neptune's blue eyes and found himself wanting to take full advantage of their teammates' absence.

Then, Neptune let out another yawn and started to blink slowly. Scarlet's expression softened as he realized that his boyfriend was just barely staying awake. Leaning close, he kissed his forehead. "Let's take a nap before Sun and Sage get back. How's that sound?"

Neptune immediately pulled Scarlet close and nuzzled his chest. "Sounds good," he mumbled. "Love you." He smiled as he felt the pulse under his ear increase in tempo for a few seconds.

Scarlet sighed happily, slipping his fingers into Neptune's soft hair and stroking slowly. "I love you too, Nep," he murmured before closing his eyes.

 **And that's Day 4. I'm on a roll! I may actually succeed in doing this challenge. Once Winter Break starts in a few days, I'll hopefully have time to do other fics alongside this series. See you guys tomorrow. Peace out!**


	5. Em&M (EmeraldMercury)

**Day 5! Still going strong. Let's get a look at some of our favorite villains. I've heard people refer to this pairing as Em &M. I feel that this definitely needs to be a thing!**

Mercury had to admit it: When drunk, Emerald was almost pleasant.

Rather than becoming angry or stupid like most people he knew, she became more chill and relaxed than she ever was while sober. Comments by Mercury that would normally draw an eye-roll or a repressed snort instead brought a full laugh from her. She also became weirdly clingy, often leaning into Mercury in order to keep from stumbling or slumping against him when they were sitting.

In the morning, she would accept a mug of coffee from him without comment and go back to being her regular, sarcastic self. Mercury never made fun of her or brought up her behavior, mostly because he didn't want her to get angry and potentially stop trusting him to care for her.

Not only did he not trust anyone else to look after her, but he actually enjoyed doing so. The lazy smile she would give him was enough to cause a flush to rise on the back of his neck. The way she leaned into his side, practically cuddling with him, filled him with a sense of peace. Cinder had once said that drunk people don't act out of character. Everything they do is something they think of doing when sober. The removed inhibitions simply allow for more freedom to act.

Mercury hoped that this was true, at least in Emerald's case.

It was the Winter Solstice and Cinder had decided to give her subordinates a small break. This took the form of a party, courtesy of Torchwick. A large tree had been set up and there were White Fang members chatting in every corner of the room. There was also spiked eggnog. Lots of spiked eggnog.

Emerald was on her fourth cup and had fallen into her accustomed position of leaning against Mercury as they sat on an armchair in the corner of the room. They had already exchanged their presents (a new set of lockpicks for Emerald and a pair of black leather boots for Mercury), and were calmly watching the party with no wish to actually interact with anyone else.

After finishing her eggnog, Emerald eyed the glass. Her head was pretty muzzy at this point, and she already anticipated stumbling most of the way to her room. "I should probably stop, huh?" she mumbled.

Mercury took the cup and placed it on a nearby table, secretly relieved that he wouldn't have to convince her to stop. "Probably," he replied, wrapping his arm a little tighter around her shoulders.

"Not trying to cop a feel, I hope," Emerald muttered, yawning as she rested her head on his chest.

"I could if you asked nicely," Mercury shot back, grinning deviously.

Emerald weakly punched his free arm. "Hmph. You wish." Too tired to withdraw her hand, she just let it drop so that her arm ended up draped across her partner's midsection.

At that moment, a very drunk Torchwick stumbled over. "Well, aren't you two adorable?" he slurred, fixing his askew hat. "Gonna be hogging the mistletoe later?"

Emerald gave him a dry look. "Even if we were planning on it, doing it now would just make us feel dirty. Creep."

An evil thought occurred to Mercury. "I think I saw Cinder near one of the sprigs. You could always try to catch her."

Torchwick's grin widened. "Ya don't say. Thanks for the tip, kid." He ruffled Mercury's hair before stumbling off.

Emerald blinked slowly. "Was she really near some mistletoe?"

Mercury snickered. "Yes! She actually was."

The lazy smile on Emerald's face quickly widened to an impressed smirk. "Oh, he's a dead man!"

"Wanna go watch the carnage?"

His partner considered for a moment before reluctantly shaking her head. "Nah. We might get caught in the crossfire. Besides, I'm tired."

"Tired of people or tired in general?"

"Yes."

Mercury stood and helped Emerald up before leading her toward the hallway that led to their shared room. He walked slowly, keeping an eye on her in case she started to stumble too much. As they turned a corner, a flash of white above them caught his attention.

He paused, looking up to see a sprig of mistletoe hanging from the ceiling. "How many of these did Torchwick put up?" he snorted, shaking his head.

Emerald followed his gaze. "Huh." She looked up at her partner. "Think we should keep with tradition?"

It took a second for Mercury to realize what she was talking about. "Huh?" He blinked dumbly at her, suddenly finding himself at a loss for words. After a few seconds of gaping like an idiot, he managed to laugh. "Uh, didn't you say it would make you feel dirty?"

"When Torchwick was watching us, yeah," Some part of Emerald's brain knew that she should be blushing or playing this off as a joke at this point. The rest of her couldn't care less.

Mercury blinked down at her, hesitating for a moment before slowly, cautiously leaning closer. He waited for Emerald to punch him or say that she had been kidding. Instead, she closed the distance, lightly brushing his lips with hers. He closed his eyes and pulled her a little closer. Her lips tasted of eggnog and cinnamon and he _really_ wanted to take this further. If she had been sober, he definitely would have.

Instead, he forced himself to move back, checking to make sure his grip on her was secure. "Come on," he muttered, his voice thicker than usual. "Let's get you to the room. I'm not carrying you if you fall asleep here."

Emerald yawned, leaning into his side with a lazy grin as they continued down the hall. "Whatever. Jerk."

 **I'm pretty sure that Emerald has a crush on Cinder, but if she had feelings for Mercury, I doubt she'd ever act on them unless inebriated in some way. Their dynamic cracks me up, and I look forward to seeing more of them. Quick note: I've gotten reviews with requests for certain pairings. Basically, the way these fics work is that I do whatever I'm inspired to do at the time. Since I'm doing one of these a night, I found that that's the best way to go about this. I'll look at requests, but ultimately I'm gonna write whatever I feel at the time. See you guys again tomorrow. Peace out.**


	6. Ladybug (RubyBlake)

**This one is a few hours late, but it's still Day 6! Therefore, I call this challenge a success still. Fun fact: Ladybug was the first RWBY pairing I shipped. Blake stepping in to divert Weiss's attention from Ruby and the later conversation over her book had me wondering if they'd end up together. It likely won't happen, but the idea is still cute. Enjoy!**

The sound of rustling from Ruby and Weiss's side of the room caused Blake to look up from her book. Ruby was slipping a pair of boots and an extra sweater on. "It's a bit dark to be going out, isn't it?"

"Huh?" Ruby blinked at Blake in surprise. She hadn't expected her teammate to emerge from her book for at least a few hours. "I was going to walk around town and look at the lights. They look better at night."

"By yourself?" Blake's brows furrowed. Despite the holiday season, she was still wary. The White Fang never slept, not even during supposedly-happy times. She knew that firsthand.

Ruby shrugged. "Well, Weiss is studying, Yang is working out, and I didn't want to disturb you, so…"

Blake closed her book and sat up. "I could use some air, if you don't mind me joining you." Though she knew her leader was more than capable of taking care of herself, there was no point in taking unnecessary risks. Also, a relaxing walk sounded nice now that she thought about it.

"Sure!" Ruby smiled excitedly. "It's way more fun to look with other people." She sat on the bed and waited for her teammate to put on some warmer clothes.

A light snowfall greeted the two as they stepped outside. The streetlights reflected off of the flakes, making them shimmer as they fell to the ground. Ruby's eyes sparkled in a similar fashion as she looked at the light dusting of white that covered everything.

"Wow, the weather is so perfect! This was definitely the best night to do this." A large snowflake drifted near her face and she immediately caught it on her tongue.

 _How is she so effortlessly cute?_ Blake wondered for what was probably the thousandth time since the beginning of the year, watching her leader with fond smile. She had to quickly rein in her expression when Ruby turned to look up at her.

"So, should we check out the houses or downtown?"

"Downtown sounds good," Blake immediately replied. There would be more people walking around and the streets would be better-lit.

"Okay. Ooh, that means we can check out the shop windows too!" Ruby grabbed Blake's hand and pulled her down the sidewalk.

Blake's ears twitched under her ribbon and her face flushed a little, but she returned the grip and allowed herself to be led to town. Walking slowly down the sidewalks, she realized for the first time just how pretty Vale looked during the winter. She was so used to walking briskly from place to place with a destination in mind, she had never really stopped to look around

Windows were framed with lights of every color. Some were white and twinkling, others were rainbow, and some contained the bright blue LED lights that seemed to stab right into her eyes in the best possible way. Illuminated reindeer, owls, and white foxes sat in front of doors and snowflakes and stars hung from the streetlights. They passed a large tree near the center of town that was completely covered with rainbow lights and bore a star at the very top.

Of course, all of the stores had made their window displays as festive as possible. The bakeries held gingerbread men and star-shaped sugar cookies. The toy stores had tiny model trains running across little tracks. Even the hardware and Dust stores had found ways to arrange their products with lights and stars and reindeer in the mix.

"This is so awesome!" Ruby said, her smile changing colors with the lights they passed. "Thanks for coming with me, Blake. It's way more fun looking with people. Dad and Yang used to go with me when I was younger." She noticed that their hands were still intertwined and was glad that Blake didn't seem to mind at all.

"I haven't really looked at the holiday lights like this since I was little," Blake admitted. "As the White Fang changed, its members took on a less…festive mood."

Ruby made a sympathetic noise in her throat as she hugged Blake's arm. "Well, you can always look at them with me. I-If you want, I mean." She blushed, thankful that the lights nearby were red and would therefore hide it.

Blake felt her chest grow warm at the timid proposal and turned to give Ruby a hug with her free arm. Her smile widened at the surprised noise her friend made. "That sounds wonderful. Thank you."

"N-No problem," Ruby muttered as she shyly returned the hug. She snuggled closer, enough so that she could hear the increased tempo of Blake's heartbeat for a few seconds before pulling back. Her hand slipped effortlessly back into Blake's as they started walking again.

The two didn't talk much after that, but the silence was a comfortable one. Blake was content to simply watch the lights and the falling snow, gently holding Ruby's warm hand in hers.

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'll try to get the next one uploaded on time. See you guys then. Peace out.**


	7. Chocolate Tails (FoxCoco)

**Day 7, and we're back to Team CFVY. I seriously can't get enough of these guys, even though they still have yet to have some good ole development in canon. Ah well. Let's hope to see more once this hiatus ends.**

"Mistletoe!"

Fox only had a brief moment to process Coco's voice before his girlfriend grabbed him and pulled him into a heated kiss. He made a muffled noise of surprise before closing his eyes and returning it to the best of his ability before Coco pulled away just as suddenly. He heard a few whistles and some voices going "Whoo!" as people walked by.

He shook his head to clear it, an accusing smile coming to his face. "I'm pretty sure you're lying half the time when you do that. No school has mistletoe in every hallway."

"How would you know?" Coco asked, sticking out her tongue while poking the side of his neck. "People at the other schools might not have told you where it all was."

"Common sense," Fox replied as they started walking again. "No teacher wants hallways full of students making out. Most people our age will take any excuse to do so." He cleared his throat significantly, raising an eyebrow.

"It's the holiday spirit, and I don't hear you complaining." Coco elbowed him as they neared Port's classroom. "Well, I'm off to Oobleck's lecture. Later, Foxy." She patted his butt as she walked away, snickering at the embarrassed sputtering noise he made.

"Coco! You said you'd stop doing that!" Fox's only response was the click of his girlfriend's retreating heels. He let out a sigh, putting a hand over his red face as he heard Yatsuhashi's heavy footsteps behind him.

"PDA issues?" the samurai asked, unable to hide the amusement in his voice.

"I guess I'm just too gorgeous to resist, or something," Fox muttered dryly.

Yatsuhashi let out a laugh as he followed his teammate into the classroom.

After classes, Fox was walking outside when he was suddenly hugged from behind and felt a pair of familiar lips on the back of his neck. He yelped in surprise before shooting a withering glare over his shoulder in Coco's direction. "Sometimes I wonder if you enjoy startling me more than you enjoy kissing me."

Coco snickered, touching an apologetic peck to his cheek. "Well, your reactions are pretty adorable."

As Coco fell into step beside him, Fox noticed that she was wearing a new perfume. "Is that cinnamon?" he asked, his nose twitching.

"Yep. It was either this or peppermint, and I wasn't up for smelling like toothpaste," Coco replied. After a moment, she pulled Fox close and briefly touched her lips to his. "Mistletoe."

"There isn't even a ceiling above us," Fox said, rolling his eyes as he pulled back.

"Maybe it was floating," Coco said, her face the picture of innocence.

"Uh huh. I'm sure that's the case," Fox drawled, lightly flicking her forehead. "I was going to walk around for another minute or two before going back to the dorm. Care to join me?"

"Sure." Coco moved closer to her boyfriend, hugging his arm. "I like looking at the snow falling." She sighed a little as they continued to walk. "I wish I could describe it. In a way you'd understand, I mean." Back when they first became partners, she had tried describing scenery to Fox, only to discover that he didn't understand concepts like color or light, since he had been born blind.

Fox shook his head. "It's fine. I get my own enjoyment from the weather."

"Yeah? Like what?" Coco tilted her head.

"I like the way the snow feels when I step on it, when there's not slush or ice anyway. The sound of snow falling is nice, when it's quiet enough to hear it. There are usually fewer people out, which is a plus. Probably my favorite thing is how the air feels and smells." Fox paused to deeply inhale. "It's sharp and crisp. It only ever gets like this during the winter months."

Coco sniffed the air experimentally, her nose wrinkling at the stinging sensation the coldness brought. She blinked a few times as the stinging turned to an itch, which eventually turned into a loud sneeze.

Fox snickered. "I guess I'm more used to it than you are." He kissed her cheek, feeling how cold it was as she continued sniffling. "Let's go inside."

Once they were in the dorm room, which was empty of Velvet and Yatsuhashi for the moment, they shed their wet jackets. Coco walked up to Fox and wrapped her arms around his middle, nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck. "Hey."

"Hey," Fox replied, returning the hug and kissing the top of Coco's head. "Are you always this affectionate during winter?"

"Only when I have an adorable Fox to keep me warm," Coco murmured in the sultry voice she always used when she wanted to make her boyfriend blush. She kissed his neck a few times, smirking as she felt the rising temperature of his skin.

"That's what I'm here for." Fox gently rubbed Coco's back, listening to the contented sighs she let out. He started to lead her toward the beds when an idea occurred to him.

He turned suddenly and pressed her against the wall, swallowing her surprised gasp in a passionate kiss. It only took a second for Coco to respond, weaving her fingers through his hair and parting her lips eagerly. Fox's tongue slid against hers, tasting traces of peppermint candy and espresso. He groaned as she tugged at his hair with one hand and stroked the back of his neck with the other.

Every part of Coco's body was focused on the warm press of Fox's body against hers. She was almost unable to keep up with the fervor of his kisses when he pulled back just as quickly as he had started.

She stared up at him, a dazed smile spreading across her face. "There's no mistletoe in the dorm, Foxy," she teased, though her voice was slightly breathless as she tried to regain some control over her heartbeat.

Fox, though also panting, managed a devious grin. "I know," he purred. "I don't need an excuse."

 **I freaking love writing this ship! I seriously hope that this or one of the other CFVY ships turn out to be canon. It's too freaking perfect. Peace out.**


	8. Team Sloth (RenNora)

**For Day 8, how about some nice Team Sloth fluff? Yes? I thought so.**

"Oooh! Remember this one?" Nora held up a tattered reindeer ornament that was missing an antler.

Ren looked up from his box of ornaments and smiled. "Sure do."

They had found that particular ornament a few years ago on the day after Yule. They had been looking at the old decorations that people had tossed onto the side of the road, hoping to find something they could use to make their rooms in the orphanage slightly more cheery the following year.

A chance look at a discarded tree revealed something small and brown in the branches. Nora had pulled out the sad-looking reindeer and immediately pocketed it.

Now, she skipped over to the small plastic tree that sat on their side of the room. They had bought it a few days ago, deciding to take advantage of actually having a place that felt like a home rather than a cell. They also had a second one for Jaune and Pyrrha, though they were waiting for the right moment to surprise them with it.

As the reindeer was given a spot near the top of the tree, Ren withdrew a rusty bell on a ribbon from the box. "Here's the one from the parade."

When they were ten, the two had snuck out of the orphanage to watch the annual parade in Vale. A bell had fallen from one of the floats and Ren picked it up and used a bit of old ribbon to make it into an ornament.

Nora giggled at the memory as Ren put it on the tree. "You nearly got run over by those horses when you went to get it."

"I didn't, though." Ren watched Nora with a small smile as she ran to get her old teddy bear from her bed and place it at the foot of the tree. "There's still one more."

"Huh?" Nora tilted her head. "I thought that was all of them. Is there a new one I didn't know about?" She watched her teammate go to his desk and withdraw a small, silver ornament from the drawer. It was brand new and in the shape of Beacon's symbol.

Ren's smile widened at the excited gleam that entered his friend's turquoise eyes. "I thought we should get something special to commemorate our first year out of the orphanage." He held the new ornament out. "You can do the honors, if you want."

As Nora took the silver trinket, she stood on her toes and lightly tapped his nose. "Boop!"

Ren blinked as a light dusting of pink rose in his cheeks. As usual, he was able to hide it by the time his teammate turned to look at him. "I think it's ready now. Hit the lights."

Once the dorm was dark, Ren flipped the switch that turned on the tiny string of pink lights that was wrapped around the small tree's branches. A rosy glow was cast over the room as Nora hugged him tightly.

"Sometimes I can't believe we're actually here, you know?" she murmured, resting her cheek against his chest. "I mean, we're really here and with people who care about us and not in a stupid dingy cell and we can stay here over break so we don't have to be all miserable over the holidays. Not that I'd ever be miserable with you, but I mean less bummed out than we were before. Know what I mean?"

Ren chuckled fondly, gently hugging her back. "Yeah, I know what you mean." He rested his chin on top of her head and let out a contented sigh. After a few moments, he sat down on the bed, pulling Nora with him so that she was curled up in his lap. His heart melted at the sleepy hum she let out.

It was moments like these more than anything that made Nora wish that they were together-together. If they were, she would probably be pushing him onto his back and peppering his adorable face with kisses at this point in time. Instead, she snuggled against his chest and rested her head on his shoulder, making a quiet, happy noise when he started stroking her hair.

There had been many holiday seasons in the past that had consisted of cuddling like this, though they had been significantly less happy. Ren remembered hiding their small treasures under their mattresses, holding Nora as they watched through the dirty windows as the snow fell, and stroking her hair as she fell asleep shivering because of the broken heaters.

Now, he couldn't remember a happier time. They were in a warm building, in the process of pursuing their dreams, surrounded by friends, and looking at their own tree for the first time. The only thing that was the same was Nora, and that was perfectly fine.

On impulse, he leaned down to touch his lips to her forehead. It was a gesture he hadn't done since they were little. Doing it now definitely felt different. He watched as Nora looked up at him, her eyes wide and curious. She blinked before scooting closer and quickly kissing his cheek.

Nora could feel the upward twitch of Ren's mouth as her lips brushed his cheek. Feeling daring, she kissed the very corner of his mouth before curling against his chest once more. Her face was bright red and her heart was pounding like crazy. She started to feel a moment of doubt. Had that been too forward?

Then, Ren's arms tightened around her. His cheek rested on top of her head and she knew that everything was fine. She closed her eyes, smiling as the pink of the lights glowed faintly against her eyelids. This was definitely shaping up to be the greatest holiday season of her life.

 **I like the idea of them maybe coming from a difficult neighborhood or a crummy orphanage and having to fend for themselves at an early age. It really strengthens the already-strong bond between them, don't you think? See you tomorrow! Peace out.**


	9. Arkos (JaunePyrrha)

**Well, you knew I couldn't do a oneshot series without throwing a bit of Arkos into the mix! This one ended up being longer than I had originally planned. Enjoy!**

Pyrrha walked through the halls of the Arc house with a smile on her face. Pictures of the family hung on every wall and each corner had some sort of miniature tree or sprig of holly or something festive to brighten the area. Her stomach was full from yet another homecooked meal from Mrs. Arc, she was nice and warm in the gold and red sweater Jaune's grandmother had made for her (Each member of Team JNPR had gotten one.), and Nora and Ren were fast asleep on the sofa downstairs. There was an overall feeling of contentment in the air, which was a welcome relief after the stress of the previous semester.

The sound of footsteps caused her to turn around. "Oh, hello Mr. Arc."

Jaune and his father looked very much alike, except for the fact that Mr. Arc's eyes were a darker shade of blue and there were clear signs of his age on his slightly-wrinkled face. Their smiles, however, were exactly the same. "Hey, Pyrrha. Not getting lost, are you?" he asked with a grin.

"No, sir. Jaune's helping put the girls to bed, so I thought I'd look around a little. If that's okay, I mean."

"By all means. And just stick with Mr. Arc, kay? 'Sir' makes me feel like a stuffy old man," Jaune's father chuckled. "I hope your friends aren't blowing anything up downstairs."

Pyrrha let out a laugh. "For once, no. They're asleep, last I checked." She nodded in the direction of the living room.

"Good to know. Well, feel free to look around. There's still cookies and cocoa in the kitchen if you get hungry. Jaune will likely be done soon. Night, Pyrrha." Mr. Arc started toward his room.

"Goodnight. And thank you again for letting us stay over break."

Jaune's father waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, it's no trouble. We got plenty of room, and I wasn't about to let my son's team sit at Beacon eating cafeteria food over the holidays!"

The door closed and Pyrrha decided to walk back toward the kitchen. Some cocoa actually sounded pretty nice. She paused outside one of the rooms, however, when she heard a familiar voice inside.

"And then Professor Goodwitch started walking toward the crater. She didn't even run or look at the Grimm as they charged her. She just flung them out of the way like that!" Jaune made a swooshing noise, obviously trying to imitate the sound of Professor Goodwitch's weapon.

"Wow!" The voice of Jenny, Jaune's seven-year-old sister, rang out. "She's the one with the riding crop, right?"

"That's right. Anyway, she walked up to the crater and lifted the rocks, filling it in. Meanwhile, Coco was using her minigun on a bunch of Nevermores." There was a pause as Jaune did a very bad impression of Coco's weapon.

"And you were slicing up Ursai!"

"Sure was. Hey, how come I'm telling you the story? You already know it by heart at this point."

"Yeah, but I like hearing you tell it. I like the part when Nora hits the King Taijitu in the face!"

Jaune laughed. "That was pretty awesome. But it's time to go to sleep. Unless you want Nora to eat all the pancakes tomorrow morning."

"She won't. I challenged her to a pancake eating contest!"

"Huh." There was a definite note of nervousness in Jaune's voice. "Is that right?"

"Yep!"

"Well…we'll see what happens in the morning. Night, Jenny."

"Goodnight, Jaune. I love you!" Jenny replied.

"Love you too, kiddo." Footsteps started approaching the door.

Pyrrha quickly tried to will the fond smile from her face. She hadn't thought it possible to love Jaune any more than she already did, but seeing how sweet he was with his little sisters just served to increase her affections tenfold. She managed to change her expression to a more regular smile by the time the door opened and Jaune emerged, sporting the blue and yellow sweater his grandmother had made.

Jaune started slightly when he saw Pyrrha. "Oh. Hey, Pyrrha." An embarrassed grin came to his face. "Were you listening to my amazing storytelling skills just now?"

"Just the ending," Pyrrha replied with a light chuckle. "I hope you didn't leave out the part when I skewered those Beowolves."

"Heh. At this point, Jenny's convinced that you skewered twenty, all at the same time." Jaune shook his head. "Also, she's decided that Nora used a King Taijitu's corpse to strangle a Death Stalker."

"My goodness. I knew we were skilled, but not that skilled," Pyrrha said with an amused smile, glancing at the door.

"Is that Pyrrha? Hi, Pyrrha!" Jenny's voice called from inside the room.

"Hello, Jenny."

"Go to sleep, runt," Jaune said affectionately before looking at Pyrrha. "Let's head downstairs, so we don't wake anyone up." As they started down the hall toward the stairs, he glanced once more over his shoulder at his sisters' rooms. "You know, I'm trying to figure out which of you three has become the favorite at this point. My sisters idolize you guys."

"Well, practically all of them have a crush on Ren," Pyrrha pointed out. "And Nora is always willing to roughhouse with them."

"Or have pancake eating contests," Jaune muttered.

"Maybe we should vacate the house for that one."

"You read my mind." Jaune shook his head at the thought of what that much syrup would do to both Nora and Jenny. "Well, let's not forget the great Pyrrha Nikos. I think they've all decided that they want to be you when they grow up." They reached the bottom of the stairs and walked toward the kitchen.

Pyrrha blushed. "Well, being famous does get admirers, I suppose."

Jaune rolled his eyes as he turned on the burner that had the pot of cocoa on it. "It's not just the being famous part, and you know it. You're just awesome overall!"

Pyrrha's cheeks darkened and her smile widened a little. "Thank you." She went to select some cookies from the opposite counter, hoping that her face would be a regular shade by the time she turned around.

The two prepared their snacks before going into the living room, where the fire was still going. Ren and Nora were fast asleep on the couch, Nora cuddled against Ren's chest while Ren had one arm draped over her midsection. They were both wearing their new sweaters (green and magenta for Ren, and various shades of pink for Nora). Jaune smiled at the adorable scene and paused to pull the blankets over their shoulders before joining Pyrrha in the giant armchair in front of the fireplace.

The chair was easily big enough for two people, if those two people didn't mind sitting right against each other, courtesy of the mushy cushions and pillows. Over the past few nights, Jaune and Pyrrha had found themselves drawn to the armchair and more than once ended up falling asleep together there (only to be woken up in the morning by Jaune's sisters singing "Jaune and Pyrrha sitting in a tree!")

That night, however, Jaune really didn't care what his sisters would do. He was tired and between the warmth of the cocoa, the fire, and Pyrrha as she snuggled shyly against his side, he was rapidly drifting toward sleep. He barely managed to finish his cookies and cocoa and place the plate and mug on the table before slumping back against the pillows. Letting out a yawn, he wrapped an arm around Pyrrha's shoulders to draw her closer.

Pyrrha quickly finished her cocoa and put the mug to the side before gladly nestling closer to Jaune, slipping an arm around his middle as she rested her head on his chest. She could hear his heart beating through his warm, soft sweater while Nora and Ren's quiet breathing sounded from the sofa, mingling with the crackling of the fireplace. She honestly couldn't remember feeling happier.

She looked up at his nearly-asleep face. Perhaps, by the end of break, she'd be able to build up the nerve to move those extra few inches to touch a kiss to his cheek. "Goodnight, Jaune."

Jaune didn't open his eyes as he replied. He just rested his head on top of hers with a happy sigh. "Night, Pyrrha."

 **I have a headcanon that Pyrrha's home life likely isn't super familial and that her parents likely played a role in her pedestal status. That, combined with the fact that Nora and Ren are orphans, gave me the image of Jaune's parents essentially adopting all of them. I also headcanon this for Team RWBY with Taiyang. This was fun to write and I may write more fics involving Team JNPR and the Arc family in the future. Peace out until tomorrow!**


	10. Black Sun (BlakeSun)

**Now for a sadly under-appreciated ship that I absolutely adore: Black Sun! Seriously, there's only a handful of good Black Sun fics on the site. It drives me crazy. They're freaking adorable together! Look at them!**

Blake yawned as she woke up to her scroll humming. Groggily, she reached for it and turned it on. A sleepy smile came to her face when she saw Sun's name on the screen.

" _Hey, Kitty! Guess who's finally on break? How are exams going? :P"_

Rolling her eyes, Blake typed a reply: _"They're annoying. Thanks for rubbing it in, jerk."_ She never used emojis. Thankfully, Sun could usually tell when she was kidding around.

Sure enough, her scroll hummed a minute later. _"Aw. Don't be like that. :) It'll be over soon. By the way, I got your Yule present. It's awesome! I look even hotter than I did before. Sage and Scarlet are so jealous."_ A few days ago, Blake had mailed Sun a set of gold bracelets and three matching rings for his tail (not made of actual gold, of course).

" _Glad you like them. And thank you for not saying 'jelly'."_

She could almost hear her boyfriend's laugh in the reply. _"I was tempted, if only to imagine your face. Did you get my present, yet?"_

" _Not yet,"_ Blake typed back. _"I'll check the mail this afternoon, though. I need to go study for today's exam."_

" _Bummer. I'll call you tonight if you have time. I love you!"_ He also texted one of those "less than 3" sideways heart symbols at the end of his message.

Blake's ears warmed and she smiled softly. Even on a screen and next to a stupid text symbol, it was nice to hear. _"I should be free for an hour or so. I only have one exam in the morning to study for. I love you too."_

That night, she picked up her scroll as soon as it started ringing and started toward the door. Yang flashed her a knowing smile as she walked by. Once in the hallway, she picked up. "Hey, Sun."

"Sup, Blakey? Miss me?" Sun's bright, chipper voice caused a happy flush to go through her chest.

 _Absolutely!_ "Hm, maybe a bit," she murmured, smirking a little.

"Aw, come one," Sun urged. "We both know you're missing my amazing smile. My flawless hugs. My epic abs."

"I could easily hang up, you know," Blake replied, unable to keep from snickering.

"You won't, though. So, how was that exam?"

"Tedious, but I got it done." Blake went outside and sat on one of the benches. "Are you back home yet?"

"Not quite. So, did you get my present?" There was an edge to Sun's voice, a certain mischievous quality, like he was keeping some sort of secret.

"No, there weren't any packages." Blake's voice was tinged with suspicion. "Should I worry about what's in it?"

"What? I'm offended! It's like you don't trust me, or something," Sun said in an affronted tone.

"I wonder why," Blake drawled. "So, how's the team?" The two talked for an hour before she reluctantly hung up.

The following day, she took her exam and went back to her room to read. Yang was sitting on her bed, a grin on her face.

"So, did you check the post office today?" the brawler asked.

"Huh?" Blake tilted her head. "No. I figured I'd just wait till tomorrow. Packages from Mistral take a long time. It should be there by tomorrow."

"Oooor, you could go now. I'll walk you there," Yang said, still grinning.

Blake raised an eyebrow at her. "What's with that look?"

"What look?"

At that minute, Blake's phone hummed. _"Hey, Kitty! Did you get my present yet?"_

Blake stared at the scroll, then at Yang, then back again. _"Both you and Yang keep asking me. Is there something fragile in there?"_

" _Not fragile, but there's definitely valuable merchandise. ;)"_

The winky face was enough to make the cat Faunus's ears flatten with suspicion. She glared at Yang. "If it's some kind of perverted toy, I swear I'm gonna-"

Yang burst out laughing at her partner's words, falling back on the bed.

The scroll hummed again with the message: _"Just check the post office. I got a good feeling about today. Please?"_

Blake sighed and texted a quick _"Okay."_ before dragging a still-laughing Yang off the bed. "Come on. If there's something weird in there, I at least get to have you there to yell at, because I _know_ it must have been your idea."

"Well, you're not wrong," Yang said as they left the dorm.

"Not wrong about what?" Blake asked nervously.

"It _was_ my idea!"

As they drew close to the post office, Yang started to slow down. Blake gave her a confused look. "What is it?"

"Isn't the snow pretty just over there?"

"Yang, what has gotten-?" Blake stopped talking as she turned her head. Leaning against a street lamp just a few feet away, ring-bedazzled tail twitching happily, was Sun.

He grinned when Blake's eyes found him, holding up his right wrist, which had a black ribbon tied to it. "Happy Yule, Blakey!"

Blake stared at Sun for a moment, unable to comprehend the fact that he was actually standing right there. Quickly, she shook herself out of her dumbstruck state and rushed forward, throwing her arms around his shoulders. She let out a long, happy sigh as his familiar, warm arms curled around her back while his tail wrapped itself tightly around her waist. Nuzzling her cheek against his chest, she felt a purr rising in her throat unbidden and tried to make it as quiet as possible.

"I missed you so much!" Sun murmured, nuzzling the top of her head near where the bow began.

"I missed you too," Blake replied, none of her usual sarcasm present. "But, how did you pull this off?"

Sun grinned. "Well, Weiss helped pay for the airfare and Ruby and Yang found a friend who was willing to let me stay for a few days. I'll need to go back home before Yule, but I'll have five full days to spend with you, not including today."

Blake looked over her shoulder to smile at Yang, who had a wide smirk on her face, before turning to kiss her boyfriend for the first time in months. His lips were just as warm as she remembered, despite the chill in the air, and she eagerly snuggled closer as he returned the kiss with just as much enthusiasm.

When they separated, Sun's face was flushed and he was panting a little. His grin turned into a dazed, loving smile. "Man, I missed you. Did I mention that already?"

"You might have," Blake purred, kissing his cheek before drawing back. "I guess I can forget about studying for tomorrow's exam. I'll be way too distracted." She couldn't bring herself to be mad over this fact.

"I could always quiz you. Kisses for every right answer," Sun said with a wink.

"Barf! Stop acting sappy," Yang called over teasingly.

"Shut up, Yang! We're having a moment here," Blake snapped in reply, still unable to stop smiling.

She glanced up at Sun. "I think I'll take you up on that. Wanna head back to the dorms? We can go out to eat tonight."

Sun nodded. "The dorms sound good." He lightly poked her bow. "Besides, I think someone's in need of a little ear-scratching before she starts hitting the books."

Blake's ears flicked involuntarily and she failed yet again to keep from purring. She hugged Sun's arm and nuzzled his shoulder to muffle the sound as they walked back toward Beacon.

 **I hope Blake doesn't seem too out of character here. I feel that, once in a relationship, she'd be more open and affectionate, especially if she hasn't seen the person in a long time. Also, in case people were wondering why I'm using Yule as the holiday in this, I figured it was the most fitting. Since the Abrahamic religions likely don't exist in Remnant, and we don't really know what their religions are like, I decided to go with Yule, as it is an older holiday based mostly on the turning of the seasons. I don't have a specific religion, and the Pagan holidays have always felt more universal to me.**

 **Only two more days left. Even I don't know what ships I'll do next! Peace out.**


	11. Red Herb (ScarletSage)

**Again, this one is later than usual, but it's also the longest one yet, so that should make up for it. Since we all need more Gay Pirate in our life, and since poor Sage still hasn't gotten a line in the series, I decided to do a Scarlet/Sage piece. Enjoy!**

"Heads up!"

"Every man for himself!"

Scarlet let out a yelp before immediately hiding behind his partner, who took the brunt of the snowball assault. "We're being ambushed, Sage! What do we do?!"

"Jump," Sage advised, drawing his weapon.

Scarlet immediately obeyed, jumping as high as he could as the giant sword hit the ground, sending a shockwave through the surrounding area. There were cries as Sun and Neptune fell out of the trees they had been hiding in, followed by a large blanket of snow each.

A smirk found its way to Sage's face as he sheathed his sword and stooped to make a huge snowball. His smile widened a little at the adorable, excited laugh his partner let out. Both Sun and Neptune got vivid looks of terror on their faces before retreating further into the trees. "Not too far," he called out. "The swamplands are that way." He heard a definite change in direction from Neptune.

"Only you would keep acting like the Team Mom during a snow battle," Scarlet muttered, rolling his eyes and giving Sage an affectionate look.

"With those two, someone needs to," Sage pointed out. "I think Sun's closer. Try getting him over to that large oak over there."

"The one with all the snow on the branches?" The smaller boy grinned evilly.

"Exactly." Sage knew that Scarlet would understand his plan immediately. When on a team where the leader usually only paid attention to his partner, it was necessary to develop good communication between the other pair. Backing into a thicker patch of trees, he watched the oak while Scarlet ran off in the direction of Sun.

Scarlet couldn't stop grinning as he darted through the woods. This was the first time he had seen Sage smile in a few days. His partner tended to get moody during exams, so this was definitely a nice change. Basically anything that got Sage to smile was okay in his book, if he was going to be completely honest.

He heard a rustle above him and barely got out of the way before Sun pounced. Immediately, he bolted toward the oak. "It's another ambush, Sage," he called out, hoping that Sun would buy it. "Stop chasing Nep and help me!" He ran around the oak, Sun hot on his tail, before turning around and shooting at the branches with his pistol. He saw the most hilarious look of realization cross Sun's face before a huge sheet of snow fell on him. Unfortunately, Scarlet was still partially under the oak and ended up also getting covered.

As he tried to dislodge himself from the snow, he heard Neptune let out a girlish squeal that was quickly cut off. He stuck his head out just in time to see Sage walking over. "Did you get him?"

Sage nodded, giving Scarlet a fondly-exasperated look before pulling him from the mini snow pile. "You probably should have run further before doing that."

"Yeah, yeah," Scarlet muttered, dusting himself off as a sputtering Sun started digging his own way out of the snow. "You okay there, oh glorious leader?"

"Shut up," Sun grumbled as he got out of the snow before flashing a grudging smile. "That was pretty good. Tell me you didn't kill Neptune, though."

"He hit my FACE!" Neptune called from where he was lying.

"Walk it off," Sage shouted over his shoulder.

"Come on, Nep. Losers make the snacks for tonight's movie. We'd better get started," Sun said as he walked over to help his partner up. "See you guys later!"

"Go easy on the banana muffins," Scarlet called after his leader. "You're the only one who actually eats them." He then looked up at his partner. "I'm kinda tired. Carry me?"

Sage rolled his eyes. At the beginning of the year, Scarlet had gotten injured and had to be carried to the infirmary. A few days after that, he had jokingly asked to be carried again when his leg started aching. Sage had actually done so, and it was now a common occurrence.

"Aren't you worried that you'll get lazy if I keep doing this?" he asked as he stooped down to lift Scarlet up and hold him bridal-style. Despite his complaints, he never refused when Scarlet asked to be carried. In truth, he enjoyed holding his smaller partner like this, even when he was soaked with snow.

Scarlet looped his arms around Sage's neck and snuggled against his chest. "Nah. I'm just utilizing my resources." His fingers started their usual process of tracing the tattoos on his partner's neck.

Sage tried not to shiver at the sensation of Scarlet's cool fingertips touching his throat. It wasn't easy. He decided to keep walking near the woods rather than toward campus. Neither he nor Scarlet cared about what other people thought (and had already endured their share of annoying teasing), but he wanted some peace and quiet for a little while longer.

"Hey, Sage?" Scarlet asked, yawning a little at how warm his partner was.

 _So much for quiet,_ Sage thought. "Yes, Scarlet?"

"What if there are two snowflakes that look the same somewhere, but they're just on opposite sides of the planet or something? Do you think anyone will ever figure it out?"

"If there are, someone would probably find out randomly," Sage replied patiently. "By chance, two people on opposite sides of the world could photograph those exact snowflakes. Until then, no one can know."

Scarlet smiled a little as he ran his finger over the V symbol on Sage's neck. While Sun or Neptune would make fun of him for his random questions, Sage always tried to answer them. It was one of many things he loved about him. "Hey, Sage?"

"Yes, Scarlet?" _He really needs to stop touching my neck before I go crazy…_

"If it was the holiday season all the time, do you think the Grimm would just stay away because of how happy everyone gets?"

"Probably not," Sage replied. "People aren't always happy during the holidays. Some people don't have anyone to celebrate with. Then, there's the stress and commercialism that comes up each year. People would get exhausted and that would lead to more bad feelings, which would attract the Grimm. I think it's best that holidays only come occasionally. It makes them more special."

Scarlet nodded in agreement. "I get what you mean. Even I couldn't handle shopping that much." He leaned his head against Sage's chest. "Your present is amazing. I can't wait to give it to you!"

"You didn't have to." Sage hugged Scarlet a little closer, his face flushing.

"I wanted to." Scarlet smiled at the closer contact. "Besides, I saw your presents for all of us under your bed, so it's only right that you get something. I promise I didn't peek."

"I should probably hide them somewhere else," Sage muttered. "I know that Neptune would definitely peek if he found them."

"Probably." Scarlet was silent for a few minutes, enjoying the falling snow, the warmth of Sage's chest, and the steady rocking motion of his walking. He blamed his slight-drowsiness for what he asked next. "Hey, Sage?"

"Yes, Scarlet?"

"What would you do if I kissed you right now?" When Sage stopped walking entirely, Scarlet mentally smacked himself. _Stupid, stupid! This is why Sun keeps telling you to keep your bloody mouth shut!_

Sage's mind short-circuited for a few seconds. Was this really happening? Was he really being given this opportunity right now? _Say something, idiot!_

"Heh, sorry," Scarlet tried feebly to cover up. "I was just jok-"

"I'd probably blush like a fool," Sage mumbled, trying to keep his voice as level as possible. "Maybe stammer a bit before grinning like an idiot a few minutes later." He glanced hesitantly at his partner, who was currently just as red-faced as he felt.

Scarlet gaped for a moment before recovering. A sly grin came to his face. "I may need to test that theory." He placed his hands on Sage's shoulders to move himself up until they were eye level. He felt Sage's arms shift to accommodate this movement. He leaned closer, watching his partner's yellow eyes drift shut.

Sage felt his knees shake a little when Scarlet's lips first touched his, but thankfully managed to keep his head enough to remain standing. Standing and the feel of those cool, soft lips moving against his were the only things he could focus on at the moment. He returned the kiss, parting his lips slightly and feeling Scarlet's warm breath mingling with his.

Upon feeling his partner's lips opening, Scarlet immediately deepened the kiss, slipping his fingers through short hair while playfully flitting his tongue across the inside of Sage's mouth. Sage's response was timid, but willing as his tongue gently twined with Scarlet's.

Sage both felt and heard the happy noise that Scarlet made and his face flushed even deeper, if that was even possible at this point. After another minute, he ended the kiss, brushing his lips against the tattoo near Scarlet's left eye before drawing back completely.

Scarlet shivered and touched a quick kiss to the V on Sage's neck before smirking at him. "Looks like I've rendered you speechless. So much for the stammering. You are definitely blushing like a fool, though." He gently touched his partner's warm cheek.

Sage rolled his eyes, electing to say nothing as he simply hugged Scarlet closer and pecked his lips once more before starting toward the school. As he walked, he felt a bright, stupid grin spreading across his face, just as he had predicted.

 **Since we know so little about Scarlet and Sage, I took some liberties. The questions I had Scarlet ask are a reference to Gavin's tendency to ask random questions. Sage's relatively calm personality comes from his name and the fact that he was likely based off of Aesop, according to his wiki page. Let's hope that these guys get more freaking screentime soon! Peace out.**


	12. Bumblebee (YangBlake)

**Aaaand, I did it! I actually wrote a fic a day for twelve days! I feel like this is a promise of good things to come. Why don't we finish off with some nice Bumblebee fluff? I haven't given Yang enough love, and Dust knows she needs some.**

Blake couldn't sleep and for once, it wasn't because of stress or fear. She was just too happy to close her eyes.

A warm blanket that smelled of Yang was wrapped around her shoulders, she was sitting on a soft couch that bore the same scent, and a tree that she had helped decorate glowed softly in front of her. A week ago, when Ruby and Yang invited her and Weiss to spend Yule with them, Blake had been thrilled. Now, she was deeply content, aware of her team sleeping peacefully in the rooms down the hall.

At that moment, as if to prove her wrong, footsteps sounded from that direction. Her uncovered cat ears flicked as her girlfriend entered the room. Yang looked at Blake and grinned, immediately walking over and plopping down next to her.

"Hey." The brawler pulled her partner close with one arm, touching a kiss to the top of her head between her ears. "Too excited to sleep?"

Blake's ears flattened and she shyly brushed her lips against Yang's neck. "Maybe a little," she murmured. "You?"

Yang shivered happily at the timid kiss. "Yeah. It's a bit of a tradition for Ruby and me to wake up earlier and badger Dad till he gets up so we can open presents. Also, I walked by the guest room and saw Weiss and Ruby all cuddled up and thought: 'Hey. That's a pretty good idea. How come I'm not doing that?' So, you're basically stuck with me till morning."

"Hm. I think I can manage that." Blake wrapped an arm around her girlfriend's midsection and nuzzled her shoulder. "You might need to get under the blanket so you don't get cold," she added, blushing at her boldness. Was it really only a few months since they first started dating and Blake was too nervous to do much besides hide her face in the crook of Yang's neck and accept her kisses with a few repressed, embarrassed purrs?

Similar thoughts were going through Yang's head as she adjusted the blanket so that it covered both of them. She hugged Blake tightly, feeling her heart melt when her partner responded by snuggling closer. "I'm really glad you decided to come home with us."

Blake nodded, closing her eyes. "Weiss and I would have been okay in the dorms, but it's much nicer spending Yule together as a team."

"Also, let's face it: You two would've spent break pining over the absence of your amazing girlfriends," Yang said with a smirk. "You'd be writing sad poetry while Weiss put it to tragic music. I can see it now."

"Yes, that's exactly what would have happened," Blake deadpanned. "What in the world would we have done? We might have just wasted away. Thank you so much for saving us."

Yang snickered quietly. "No problem. I think a reward is in order, though."

Taking the hint, the cat Faunus moved away from her partner's shoulder enough to brush a kiss against her lips. She sighed as those warm arms wrapped more snugly around her. A rumbling purr rose in her throat as Yang brought one hand up to rub the base of her left ear. In response, she tangled her fingers in Yang's golden hair, eliciting a low growl and an even tighter grip from the brawler.

Ruby had once said that few people who touched Yang's hair lived to tell of it. Blake was definitely happy to be one of those few.

When the kiss ended, both girls were panting a bit. Blake took a moment to rest her head on Yang's shoulder as her breathing returned to normal. She let out a quiet yawn. "I think I can fall asleep now."

"What, am I boring you?" Yang asked playfully, nuzzling the top of her head.

Blake chuckled. "No. You're just really warm." She gently kissed her girlfriend's collarbone. "And…I feel really calm when you're close like this." She felt her cheeks heat up at the somewhat-cheesy comment.

Yang felt her own face flushing at Blake's words and gladly lay down, pulling her partner with her. "I feel the same way," she admitted. "Too bad we can't be like this all the time, huh? Exam stress would just not exist."

"Fighting Grimm would be a bit more difficult," Blake pointed out, resting her head on the pillow while scooting closer to erase any space between her and Yang. "Yang?"

"Sup?"

Blake closed her eyes and smiled softly. "Thanks again for having me over. This is the best Yule I've had in a long time."

Yang brought up a hand to gently stroke her partner's ears. "Were they really that bad with the White Fang?" she asked. "You don't have to answer."

"They just didn't celebrate anything," Blake muttered. "Adam would get me a small gift each year to cheer me up, but it wasn't like how it was before the White Fang changed. We actually felt like a family back then."

"Do you ever miss Adam?" Yang asked as she kissed the tip of Blake's right ear.

"Yes," Blake sighed. "He was my mentor and was like an older brother before he became…different. I think I'll always miss him." She tilted her head up to meet her girlfriend's concerned gaze. "But, it doesn't hurt as much as it used to. I have you, Ruby, Weiss, and the others. I'm okay."

Yang softly kissed Blake's forehead. "Good to know." As always, she felt herself melt when she looked into those fierce, gorgeous amber eyes. "I love you," she said, her own eyes glittering happily.

Blake's heart warmed and she immediately moved up to peck Yang's lips. "I love you too." Those words felt just as strange and wonderful as they had the first time they had said them to each other. She didn't think she'd ever tire of hearing or saying them. She rested her head in the crook of Yang's neck, purring quietly as she drifted off.

Just before falling asleep, Yang glanced toward the electric clock that sat near the tree. It was a little past midnight. Just past the tree, she could see snow falling outside the window. She closed her eyes, a peaceful smile on her face. "Happy Yule, Blake."

 **Whatever you celebrate, I hope you have a great time with the people closest to you. I'll hopefully be seeing you soon in more upcoming fics. Until then, Happy Holidays and peace out!**


End file.
